As frauds become widespread and serious, more and more financial transactions today require a second identification in addition to the traditional PIN code in order to confirm the correct user identity. From banking transaction to Internet logon, correct user identify has been acknowledged the first gateway to total security.
Today's ID documents, driving license or citizen identification, merely provide passive function upon identification. Even with advanced anti-fake technologies to prevent them from being forged, they can not play any active role to identify the genuine user when security becomes a concern.
Sound and effective identification technologies should be duplication, modification and decipherment proof. Three main technologies are used today to meet those requirements, i.e. (1) one-time password (OTP); (2) radio frequency identification (RFID); and (3) biological characterization such as fingerprint or retina.
All above methods need electricity to drive components therein. A small primary (non-chargeable) battery is presently designed to provide electricity. It is difficult to replace battery because of the small footprint of device. Sometimes those batteries are simply impossible to be replaced, resulting in a limited device lifetime due to power shortage. To replace the device is costly and also risky concerning data integrity. It is an essential challenge to provide durable and reliable power to identification devices.
Besides the physical contact between metal electrode of charging device and that of charged device, power charge can also be performed without physical contact.
At present, there are two charging technologies able to charge device contactlessly, i.e. electromagnetic induction and radio frequency.
Electromagnetic induction works with an electromagnetic field generated by coil or antenna in the charging device. Electromagnetic energy is generated thereof and subsequently received by coil or antenna in the charged device. Electricity transformed from the electromagnetic energy is stored in battery within charged device. Such technology has been applied to power charge toothbrush. Soon in the future it will be used to charge mobile phone, PDA and many other small portable gadgets.
Radio frequency carries and transmits information. Theoretically, electricity can be transmitted by radio frequency from one device to another by frequency modulation. This technology has not been commercially used because of low efficiency.
Up to date we have not seen electromagnetic energy applied to power charge identification device without physical contact with charging device. By doing so, identification device will be able to certify user identity instantly and flawlessly with a considerably prolonged lifetime, consequently reducing replacement cost while enhancing data and information integrity.
It is therefore attempted by the applicant to solve above-mentioned problems encountered in prior arts.